


WtNV :: Across the Line

by ivorybyrd



Series: WTNV Ficlets... [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Escapism, Homophobia, M/M, Scary Cecil, outside of night vale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-25 08:51:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/951127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorybyrd/pseuds/ivorybyrd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The town has been evacuated due to some noxious gasses from a local exterminator that turns all living creatures into roaches and then kills them. While watching the sun go down Carlos proposes they leave town, just keep driving.</p>
            </blockquote>





	WtNV :: Across the Line

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the first date, and after the previous story "Change of Heart" but isnt required to be read to understand this. I am slowly explaining my head canon with every short story.

Welcome To Night Vale 

 

Across the Line

 

Cecil stared into the distance, the desert seemed unending. Going on for miles and miles. Like this world was theirs alone. He sat on the cooling hood of Carlos’ car as the sun descended beyond the horizon. The sky was a purpley blue that started to get darker. Some vortexes of opened portals could be seen, far off in the distance there were a few clouds, but none held the promise of rain. It was quiet, town was half a mile behind them, temporarily abandoned thanks to some noxious fumes that turned people into bugs and then eradicated them. He stared out past the horizon, his eyes lightly glowing. 

“Hey?” 

Cecil blinked and was brought back. “Huh?” 

“You want tomato or baklava?”

“Baklava.” Cecil turned and caught the bottled beverage, knowing that Carlos preferred the more normal flavors. 

“I am gonna miss things like energy drinks, and soda with real corn syrup and aspartame.” Carlos chuckled. 

Cecil glanced over. “Doesn’t that give you cancer?”

“Anything in high amounts gives you cancer, this place is gonna give me cancer, if not the amount of radiation will keep me sterile for the rest of my life.” He opened up the bottle of tomato juice and sipped it down. 

Cecil loved the way he drank, the movement of his throat and how he tipped his head back some. 

“What were you doing?” Carlos asked. “You were quite focused a minute ago on the sun..” He said, gesturing to his own eyes and forehead.

“Oh?” Cecil blinked for a moment and his head lifted in understanding. “Yes, one of the benefits of being a radio host, I am connected to the field reporters during the day.” he explained. “Sometimes, I use that career right to broaden my visual surroundings.” 

“That’s going to probably kill you.” Carlos had reached over and with the tip of his thumb he gently wiped a little bit of maroon blood from Cecil’s nose. He pulled out a cotton swab pack from his pocket, pulling out one and dabbing it on the blood from his finger. “I worry about you,” 

Cecil glanced over, when Carlos was done and had the tiny bag back in his pocket he gave Cecil a look of seriousness. “Its nothing I do but once in a while.” He explained. “Just dont tell station management, they may not be too happy.” He chuckled, desperate to lighten the mood. 

Carlos let out a soft sigh, one of the few things Cecil didn’t care for. Carlos had a hard time dropping topics. “Just be careful using that power..” 

Cecil smiled and moved closer. “I love when you’re concerned.” he wrapped his arm around Carlos’ waist, nuzzling into his shoulder. He closed his eyes. “What else do you miss?” He asked, as a dim psychically commanded tentacle slipped into Carlos’ pocket, retrieving the collected blood sample. 

A small chuckle came from the taller of the two, his eyes glancing away to look at the horizon that was only barely illuminated. “I miss diner food, with a real bread bun.. real cow meat..” He said. “So greasy you regret it for weeks.” 

“Do you hate Night Vale?” Cecil cut in. 

“Hate? No, definitely not.. but the dwindling amounts of normalcy kinda getting to me. Kinda crave for a day I’m not dealing with sentient books and dragons and not to mention attending PTA meetings when I dont have a child.” 

Cecil wasn’t sure how to take it, he was far from normal. He knew he was too much for the scientist sometimes. The more he thought on this, the more his head spun into the ground with worry. 

It was like this until Carlos kissed him.

It was sudden like being woken up from a nightmare. His lightly chapped lips pressed gently at a horizontal angle. Feeling the warm breath on one cheek, and the slight brush of a week of facial hair on the other. It made him melt all the way to his bones.

Once the kiss ended Carlos mussed up the lilac blond hair of the other. “You were doing that glow thing again, all I had to do was look at your face to know you were getting upset..” 

“Sorry..” Cecil looked at the desert ground, counting the rocks.

“No, I’m sorry, I said something careless again.” Carlos put his hand behind his head. “I find your abnormality, very adorable.” He whispered and chuckled. “To me, you’re the only thing in this place that keeps me here.” 

Cecil blushed, which emitted a faint glow around his cheeks. 

“Better..” he whispered. “Besides, I’ve almost got you figured out, when you’re sad, you glow around the eyes, happy you glow from the neck up,” His fingers touched the areas lightly indicating every area. “When you’re stressed you glow from the back, hands when your anxious...”

Cecil watched the broader fingers take his long ones in them, the contrast in their skin tones was almost romantic to him. His pinky, purple gray skin with the patches of dark that wrapped around his knuckles and wrist, the stark white symbolic scars, versus the dark, oaky toned skin that was calloused and had tiny scars of their own. 

Carlos watched him endearingly. “Come on.” he said, pulling Cecil down from the car hood.

Cecil looked up when his feet hit the sand and rocks below him. “What, I thought we were going to stay out here until the noxious gasses were gone?” he asked. 

“We aren’t going back to Night Vale.” 

Those words kind of frightened him, Cecil had insecurity written over his face, and just lightly his stomach and hands began to glow. 

“We could leave, run away forever..” Carlos whispered, his hand gripping the pale one tightly. “Just you and I...” 

“I cant leave this place for good, its home,” he whispered, his free arm wrapped around his stomach as it brightened more. He feared not only leaving, but in the decision of not going, Carlos would go without him. 

Carlos observed, he was good at that. Resolving to letting go of Cecil’s hand and smiling softly. “Sorry..” 

“Its o-” he couldn’t finish his sentence before being hoisted up in the air by Carlos. His face glowing with a blush as he was tossed into the back seat and the door shut at his feet. His fluster turned to confusion, his shoulders and nape of his neck lit up. 

“Well, I cant leave for too long either, I have a lot of work in the morning, but we can always go get a late night dinner right?” Carlos slipped into the driver’s side and started the car, it wheezed and made a screeching sound before the engine turned over. 

“Are you taking me out of town?” Cecil asked, climbing to the front seat finally. 

“Just a few miles, unless the car is going to explode as soon as we are out of the city limits.” he glanced over at Cecil, hoping that the salesman didn’t leave that key information out.

“It shouldn’t, but it’s going to get us into trouble, we’ll get a citation for running away from town without consent by city hall, and maybe re-education as we are technically bringing wheat across the town line.” Cecil explained. 

“I am sure they will understand..” Carlos pulled the car around in an arch, and headed back into town. 

Cecil chuckled, he kind of liked it when Carlos was spontaneous. He relaxed in the passenger seat some, his arms laying across his stomach as he watched the desert move fly by them. He wondered on the subject of outside. He’d only been outside the city limits once since getting there, and before then had been wiped from his memory. 

His body stiffened as they passed the town, both held their breaths to avoid sprouting antenna from their heads as the report went. It was so serious he had to cancel that night’s show.

There were no police, and as they drove up and down the streets to get to the exit for the interstate faint purple lights flashed by the windows and Cecil’s anxiety started to grow. 

Carlos reached over and grabbed Cecil’s hand tightly. The glow reflecting off his dark skin, squeezing the long thin hand in his own broader one. 

Cecil’s body went tense as they hit the “Now Leaving: Night Vale. You’ll be back soon.” sign that seemed to brighten and look more menacing with the closing miles. It loomed over Cecil and he had to closed his eyes. 

Carlos rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. “We passed it, you’re still alive.” 

Cecil turned his head, seeing the back of the sign, and the faint purple glow of the town behind them. Nothing happened, no black helicopters, no sirens, no floating angels to stop them. 

They rolled down the windows, letting the heavy gusts of wind blow through them, fresh outside air was light, almost ambient. It was dark and the further from town the more the stars above began to brighten and blossom from the indigo sky.

It was about forty miles before they hit the first diner off the side of the road, a few gas stations littered the area, one was already closed and their prices reflected prices from years before. A starbucks was the busiest store in the area. Cecil was almost tempted to see what they sold there, how real soy milk tasted. It had to be better than salamander milk.

Carlos parked the car in front of the diner. “You ok?” he asked. 

Cecil’s hands had a soft light that was dimming with his controlled breath. “Yeah..” When he was around Carlos, that part of him, the more anxious version came out. Though most wouldn’t commend it, he liked it, because he could stop being strong, with being the voice of a nightmarish town. 

They both opened their doors, Cecil shutting his a few seconds after Carlos. He was taking in the sights around them, everything seemed, uncomfortably normal. There was still this sense of needing to be on guard. He didn’t have to look at the ground and had to catch himself as they headed to the doors of the diner. The ground and everything seemed to be moving a bit faster for him, like he was being rushed.

Carlos still held his hand tightly, taking it after rounding the car to walk with Cecil. Time with Carlos seemed to slow some, only a little. 

There were three sets of people there. A group of girls, drunk and giggling loudly over the events of the night. Messy and uncaring to the other patrons. A heavy set man that was devouring a stack of waffles and bacon. He wore a black vest and had a heavy beard. Lastly, was a group of younger men, wearing denim jackets and rusty looking baseball caps. One had a three wolf moon shirt that was stained heavily by grease and car oil. Their faces were dirty and the difference between them and the two men that had just entered was light and day. 

Cecil, unthinking about how they may have looked, refrained from letting go of Carlos’ hand. And Carlos didn’t seem to mind, as they were sat closer to the heavier man and the girls. 

They didnt go unnoticed by the others. When passing the girls, they lowered their head and a very obvious hushed whispered, asking each other if they were gay. One girl stated in a matter of fact tone that “they are holding hands, duuuh.” 

Cecil blushed lightly, and in the fluorescent light his glowing could hardly be seen. 

Carlos smiled sadly, he realized that Cecil’s other worldly appearance, though mostly humanoid, would get them a lot of attention. 

Cecil tried to be excited, and comfortable despite the stares he was getting. The heavier man stopped to stare at him for a few minutes as they gave their orders to the waitress who also seemed to be unable to tear her eyes away. 

When she left, Carlos bent down a bit and whispered. “We dont have to stay...” 

“No no, I guess I stick out a bit more than I planned on.” Not only did Cecil’s skin seem really out of place for someone who lived in the desert, his hair and clothing choice (which was a long button down shirt, that went down mid-calf, a dark indigo vest that buttoned around his stomach and a pair of black slacks that were rolled up at his ankles, and flip flops) made him an interesting sight. He rubbed his legs a bit, trying to keep from exerting too much anxiety that would eventually make him a 40 lumen flashlight.

Carlos gave him an affectionate smile, he reached forward and pulled Cecil closer, kissing him. 

A few of the girls squealed and giggled. 

“I guess this is what culture shock feels like..” Cecil whispered once his mouth was freed.

Carlos opened his mouth. 

“Hey, we dun wanna see that fag shit!” a southern tone called out from across the diner. One of the three men on the other side was looking at them with a bit of irritation, his buddies laughing and nodding in agreement. 

Carlos could see the faint light of embarrassment show from Cecil’s chest, now he definitely regretted leaving Night Vale, and putting Cecil in this situation. 

Cecil looked away, so unprepared to get something so negative yelled at him and Carlos. He had never known anyone in Night Vale to disrespect him or Carlos because they were together. This had been the exact reason why he was apprehensive. Even if he didn’t have to sign a thousand papers, donate half his blood, and give tissue samples from every limb, he still wouldn’t leave Night Vale. 

“We should go..” Carlos pocketed his wallet and moved his body to slip out of the booth. He wasn’t willing to cause problems, he knew that as outsiders in this area, their word wasn’t good.

Cecil shook his head and grabbed Carlos’ hand. “No, just ignore them.” 

Carlos nodded, he had forgotten about the outside world, how backwards it really was in comparison to Night Vale sometimes.

“Holdin’ hands aint better, gross twinks.” 

Cecil was transitioning from apprehensive to anger and irritation. His Carlos was not gross. He would take all the slings and arrows of this normalcy Carlos wanted. He was, however not willing to let Carlos be berated. 

“Yeah buddy, the fact that you know that word shows you watch gay porn.” one of girls chimed, while the three others giggled. 

The guy stood up. “I am tired of you bitches disturbing the peace here,” he charged over to the girls who all scrunched up together, protecting themselves. His hand rose in the air, fist ready and threatening. 

The lights went out, flickering a few times and when they came back a hand was wrapped around the angry man’s. 

Cecil’s silvery eyes bored into the man’s, “It’s not nice to strike women..” he whispered, his head cocking to the side. 

Carlos just watched in intrigue, it wasn’t very often that Cecil got scary, sometimes he heard it on the radio, and he had issues getting that tone from his brain to sleep. But Cecil was one of those people who save their anger, keep it in check. He knew though, that Cecil had some pent up stress and fatigue from the day that it was harder to keep himself in check. Plus he missed a day of work, and Cecil wasn’t paid salary.

“I am calling the police you gay freak.” The man sputtered. “L-let go of me!” Unable to release himself he tried swinging the other hand at the radio host. It stopped mid air, the energetic appendages that glowed wrapped tightly around the man’s other wrist, bending the bones as they started to crack.

Cecil turned his head to Carlos, who just shrugged. 

The man’s eyes went wide, Cecil’s head turning revealed something more frightening than before. When Cecil was violently angry, the scarred eye shape began to bleed. “I am from Night Vale, your police cant touch me..” 

There was a collective gasp amongst those within the vicinity. 

The man knew the cursed town well. They all knew the town well. The door to the diner chimed and they all watched as the heavy set man took off running.

“You may have heard my voice before, I’m quite sure of it..” Cecil continued. “Between the static on your radio.” The small trail of blood running down his nose. The slit moved slowly, the skin tearing along the middle as a third eye slipped out, reddish purple in color as it stared down at the man who was too traumatized to scream. 

The man’s eyes began to fog over, the veins of his eyes turning a shade of purple.

Cecil finally let go of the man and smiled. “You should leave these people alone..” he said smiling. 

The man stood, zombie like and nodded quietly. 

“And you should re-introduce yourself to your friends as a newly outed homosexual,” Cecil wiped his hand on his pant leg, in mild disgust.

The man, still zombie like, nodded his head, turned and went back to his frightened friends. 

Carlos stood up and grabbed a napkin. “Sorry about the pie, left some cash on the table.” he said to the waitress who had long since dropped her tray. 

Cecil blinked. “No pie?” 

“Nah, you will probably pass out as soon as I get you sat down again.” Carlos wiped up some of the blood from Cecil’s forehead and nose. “Come on.” 

Cecil nodded, sending a smile to the girls and letting Carlos lead him out. 

The girls sat in collected horrified silent screams was all he got in return. 

He got Cecil, who was a bit wobbily in the legs, into the car slowly and helped him buckle up. Carlos sighed and headed to the other side of the car and hopped in. 

Ten minutes down the road Cecil’s movement alerted Carlos. “Here..” he held out the tiny plastic bag with his blood stained cotton swab. 

“You keep taking them then?” Carlos asked, shaking his head. 

“Why do you keep them?” 

“Testing your blood.” 

Cecil chuckled. “Worried I am going to die?” 

“A little, if you keep that up.” Carlos glanced over. “How did you do that, mind control thing?”

“Just a little something I picked up from the glow cloud..” Cecil chimed, staring out the window, watching the stars float in stillness overhead. “So this is what the sky looks like outside Night Vale.”

“Yeah.. its probably the only nice thing about the outside of Night Vale.”

“I am sorry.” 

“Dont be, I should have remembered.” 

Cecil shook his head. “Once a Night Valian, always..” he twirled his finger a bit. “Besides, I bet the outside is a lot better than what happened in there..” 

Carlos glanced back to Cecil, “Why do you say that?”

“Its where you came from..” Cecil’s head turned, his throat up to his lips emitted a light lavender glow.

Carlos took Cecil’s hand, “And now, I am where I belong.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the homophobic slurs, but this stuff happens, and not writing about it would be like saying the world is perfect. Besides, I like writing Cecil as having his stronger moments, and giving him an antagonist that we've all had to deal with (a closed minded bigot) shows that Cecil despite his moments can be pretty awesome. Even if he uses mind control he learned from the glow cloud.


End file.
